Why's It Gotta be a Fight?
by Dragonchad
Summary: Jaune was raised by his father to be the perfect descendant of a long line of Hunters. Jaune just wants to know why everybody he meets thinks combat is an answer to everything.
1. chapter 1

Jaune Arc grew up in a life of fighting. With the namesake of a great huntress, and a family history of combat, he was pressured to learn to fight above all else.

Jaune Arc disliked the idea of conflict. He knew it was inevitable. Grimm, after all, were mindless and vicious, but why did people have to be?

His father hadn't cared, and before he could raise a protest, forged transcripts were in his hands and he was shoved onto a Bullhead to Beacon.

It was enough to make him sick.

Here he was, in his ordinary jeans and hoodie, and the breastplate and sword that his father had thrown on him. He could feel himself missing his sisters already.

They were just as forceful, but they didn't want him to be a Hunter at least.

Now here he was. A fraudulent, almost-Pacifist, headed to a combat school. He had to admit, looking out the window, the school was impressive aesthetically.

Nervous tension filled him, and he tried kicking the ground a few times to settle himself. It didn't help much.

The Bullhead landed at the Academy of Beacon, one of the finest Hunter training institutions in the country.

Jaune sighed.

"Might as well." he muttered.

He walked out of the Bullhead, slouching lazily. Crocea Mors was at his hip, and he couldn't help but enjoy having it with him. Just because he disdained fighting didn't mean he wasn't proud of his ancestors and what they have accomplished.

He glanced across the fields, eyeing the statue in front of the school. He was proud of his grandfather, who fought in the War.

He still sighed though, and ruffled his hair before taking a step. Just before an explosion rocked the ground.

He turned to see a pair of girls arguing, and he drifted closer.

He saw one of the girls, dressed in white, stalk off after a third girl said something to her. The third girl left as well, and the remaining girl sank into the ground, closing her eyes.

Jaune stepped up as she released a groan.

He extended his hand, "Hi, I'm Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue." he said gleefully as the girl's eyes opened. "Ladies love it." he declared, wriggling his eyebrows mischeviously.

The girl giggled and took his offered hand. "I'm Ruby Rose." she said. "It's nice to meet you."

Silver eyes. Interesting.

Line Break

Jaune and Ruby walked around the perimeter of the school, where they discovered a garden-lined path.

Jaune was walking in his average slouch, his hands in his pockets. "What made you want to be a Huntress?" he asked curiously.

"I've always wanted to help people. That's what Hunters and Huntresses do, so that's what I'll be!" she said excitedly.

Jaune thought about her words for a moment before he realized that there was an awkward silence.

"Er." Ruby broke the silence. "So I've got this." she said, pulling a red device from her back. It rapidly unfolded until the small girl was holding a massive scythe.

"Hell." Jaune whispered.

"It's also a high impact, bolt action sniper rifle." Ruby cooed, rubbing the weapon seductively.

"How heavy is that?" he asked.

She grinned mischeviously before holding it out for him to take it.

Jaune sighed, and firmly grasped the weapon. He lifted it and held it up to the light.

"Interesting. Pretty heavy." he said. He stepped a few steps away from Ruby and twirled the weapon. It span magnificently, and Ruby's eyes widened in disbelief as her scythe was handled almost as expertly as if she was wielding it.

Jaune nodded and handed the weapon back to her. He smirked at her look of surprise, and waited for her to recover.

"Y-you." she finally forced out.

"Hi." he said.

"You know how to use a scythe?" she asked.

Jaune nodded, but didn't elaborate. "I have this. Crocea Mors. It's an heirloom. The sheathe expands into a shield." he explained.

Ruby didn't let him continue the conversation. "I thought Uncle Qrow was the only Hunter that was good with scythes." she exclaimed. "Why aren't you using one?"

Jaune sighed. Ruby noticed he did that a lot. "My dad didn't want me to use a scythe. He said I wasn't using it lethally enough."

Ruby almost bounced to ask him to explain, but Jaune continued before she could.

"I figured out how to use it well enough to take people down without cutting." he explained. "He made me take this" he gestured to his sword and shield, "because if I use it to fight, it has less ways of being used without harming someone."

Ruby nodded her understanding.

They walked in silence as Ruby collapsed her scythe and placed it on her back for a while.

"Jaune?" Ruby asked.

"Hmm?"

"Why do you wanna be a Hunter?" she asked.

Jaune chuckled humourlessly. "I don't."

Ruby gasped, but Jaune interrupted her thoughts. "It's time for us to find the entrance hall."

Line Break

The next day, the student hopefuls were dressed in their favorite combat outfits and waiting on a cliffside.

Jaune had taken the opportunity to ditch his breastplate, armed with only his weapon.

"Let me put the rumors to rest. You will be given your teams today. They will be with you for the rest of your time at Beacon, and will be decided based on the first person you make eye contact with after you land." Ozpin announced.

Ruby shook in nervousness, but most of the assembled teenage warriors were ready to go. One by one, they were launched into the sky.

Jaune was launched into the air as he considered his options, and didn't resact as he was suddenly thrown hundreds of feet over the tree line.

His eyes narrowed and he turned in mid air as a spear flew through his arc. He impulsively grabbed it and got pulled further forward as it's momentum bled off.

"It seems I've been picked by someone." he muttered.

He crashed through the foliage, spear in hand, as he flipped through the air before gently landing on the ground.

He heard a furious tear through underbrush as a figure flitted towards him. Bursting through the bushes, he saw a girl in white, followed by his newest friend Ruby.

"No." the girl declared turning back towards Ruby.

Jaune brushed past her and chucked the spear into her crossed arms. "Here, hold this." he demanded as he stepped up to Ruby.

"Ruby!" he declared with a smile.

"Jaune!" she yelled back with relief.

"Ruby!" he cried with his hands wide.

She hugged him gratefully. "Keep me away from her." she whispered, pointing dramatically at the girl.

"Can do." he whispered back, pulling her into his arms and striding confidently away.

The girl in white stood, spear haphazardly in her hands, perplexed for a few moments.

"Was I just ditched?" she asked.

A girl burst into the small clearing and glanced at the holder of her weapon. Disappointment was in her eyes as she saw Weiss Schnee, the girl who had been bothering her about partnering up just that morning.

Line Break

Jaune smiled again at Ruby as they walked North. Ruby, encouraged, smiled back happily as they obliterated Grimm instantly. Though Jaune was something of a Pacifist, it was only towards people. Grimm were slain the second they came within arm reach of him, and Ruby was just as quick to slaughter.

"Thank you." Ruby said again. She had been repeating it since they had abandoned the girl, who Ruby said was Weiss Schnee, and partnered with each other.

Jaune nodded indulgantly. "You seemed unhappy. It was the least I can do. I would rather be teammates with a friend, myself." he explained.

Ruby nodded, before blushing innocently. "So, we're... friends?" she asked.

Jaune nodded affirmatively. "Until the end." he vowed.

She smiled happily as they continued to tear through everything in their path.

Line Break

"Ooh! Horsey!" Ruby cried, grabbing a big chess piece.

"Ruby!" a voice called.

"Yang?" Ruby answered, perking her head up like a dog. Jaune saw her make direct eye contact with a buxom blonde with lilac eyes, and she dashed over to her.

They had a heartfelt hug as Jaune drifted towards the two. He noticed a quiet girl in black floating a few feet from the loud woman.

"Hi. Jaune Arc." he said, introducing himself to the dark girl.

"Blake." she answered shortly. She didn't seem inclined to shake his hand, so he retracted it.

"Yang, this is my awesome partner Jaune!" Ruby cheered, pulling one blonde to the other.

Jaune repeated his greeting, offering his hand again. This time, they took it, gripping his hand tightly.

"Yang Xiao Long. Don't hurt my sister." she declared, tightening her grip furiously.

"Uh huh. I wasn't planning on it." he said dryly, ignoring the clenching hand.

"Who's your partner?" Ruby asked her sister curiously.

Yang let Jaune go and gestured dramatically at Blake. "This is Blake. Blake, that's Ruby."

Blake nodded as a roar echoed from the trees. Several were knocked down as an Ursa burst through the treeline, knocking branches out of the way as it did.

The four tensed, but the Ursa collapsed on the ground, revealing a orange haired girl.

A boy with black hair, save for a strand of pink, jogged up behind her, breathing heavily.

"Nora." he gasped for air before continuing. "Never do that again."

The girl, Nora, didn't listen. Instead, her eyes widened in pure joy as she glimpsed the relics. She appeared suddenly next to them, a golden rook chess piece balanced on her head.

"I'm Queen of the Castle, I'm Queen of the Castle!" she sang.

"Damnit Nora." Jaune heard the boy mutter. He had a small smile though.

They heard a high pitched squeal of fear from a ways away, and the 6 hunters and huntresses in training turned to see Weiss Schnee and Pyrrha Nikos sprinting away from an ancient Deathstalker.

Ruby gasped and unfolded her scythe into its' sniper rifle variant, and shot at the massive Grimm in an attempt to stop it. The shots did little, but the Grimm became distracted and slowed down.

The newcomers joined the group as Ruby unloaded her magazine, pocketing it and reloading a full one.

"We don't have to stay and fight." Blake said suddenly. "Our goal is right here, and we just need to get back."

Jaune smiled. "How about instead, I handle it, and you guys can pick your pieces."

He turned to Ruby. "Can you give me covering fire?" he asked.

Ruby nodded and took aim as Jaune pulled his blade from his sheathe. Shots rang out and Jaune sprinted towards the massive Grimm, sliding under it and stabbing straight up as he dodged the massive claws.

A precise shot hit the beasts' eye, and combined with Jaune's sword though its' head, it died, black mist dissipating as he walked back towards the group.

"Thanks Rubes." he said as he got back, holding out his fist. Ruby looked surprised for a second, before smiling and tapping her knuckles to his.

"You guys pick out your relic?" he asked lightly, before noticing that, besides Ruby, the rest were gaping at him. "Something in my teeth?" he asked innocently, scratching at his teeth with his fingers.

Line Break

"Ruby Rose, Jaune Arc, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long comprise team RABY. Raspberry. Led by Ruby Rose."

"Good job." Jaune whispered.

"Lie Ren, Nora Valkyrie, Weiss Schnee, and Pyrrha Nikos make up team LVNS. Lavender. Led by Lie Ren."

Ren seemed to accept his fate, though Weiss looked quite displeased.

Line Break

"We should make bunk beds!" Ruby chattered excitedly. She and her sister seemed to excitedly try to mash beds on top of each other before Jaune sighed and called them to a stop.

"I can make them." he stated.

He carefully took out his sword and whittled away the bed posts, cutting notches into the wood. Left behind were columns of wood with slits crossing through them that conveniently matched the cuts Jaune made on a second bed. He lifted the second bed over the first and matched the holes, sliding the beds onto each other.

A firm push proved its' stability when nothing shifted at all.

The three girls watched him silently as he made the last two beds stack just the same as the first two, the wood just as sturdy on the second pair.

"Wow. You're good at that." Yang remarked, surprise coloring her voice.

"No big deal. It just takes a little thought." he replied. "Who's sleeping where?"

"Top bunk!" Ruby cried, jumping up into the elevated bed.

Jaune shrugged and took the one under his partner, and Yang and Blake took the second bunk bed, Blake choosing the higher space.

Ruby leaned over the edge of her bed to look at Jaune, who was still sitting up. "What do you think we should do now?" she asked him quietly.

He gave her a comforting grin. "We could introduce ourselves. Get to know each other." he offered.

Ruby beamed and thanked him before addressing the team. "We should talk to each other and get to know one another." she said. "Yang, you go first!"

Yang laughed and laid down. "We'll start things off with a Yang!" she grinned. "I went to Signal, and I fight with my fists. My semblance makes me hit harder whenever I take damage or get too angry. I get really angry if anything happens to my hair, and I like puns." she said.

Blake went next without prompting. "I like reading, and quiet. I didn't go to a school before this, but I'm well trained. My semblance allows me to create clones that can be infused with dust."

It was shorter than Yang's introduction, but no one remarked on it.

Ruby went next. "I'm Ruby! I like cookies and I drink milk. I love weapons, especially my Crescent Rose! My semblance makes me really fast, and I want to be a huntress so I can save people!"

Jaune was last. "I'm Jaune Arc. Short, sweet, rolls off the tongue. Ladies love it. I have seven sisters, and I love them a lot. I grew up in Mistral, but I never went to a training academy. In fact, my dad forged transcripts and made me attend here. I didn't actually wamt to be a huntsmen at all, but I don't give up. I hate fighting people. Grimm are understandable, but why do we have to fight people too? Why can't we settle things another way?"

The room was silent for a while.

Yang nervously chuckled. "Uh Jaune? You were probably supposed to keeo quiet about that transcripts thing."

Jaune smiled. "I won't lie to my teammates. Despite not having recognised records at a combat school, or without having taken the physical test to join, I am well capable of fighting. The Arc family is a long line of Hunters and Huntresses who have always been well known. Besides, I won't keep secrets from you guys. It wouldn't be fair."

The room was quiet again, before Blake jumped to the floor. She made sure the door was closed, and locked it.

"You're right." she said quietly. "I shouldn't keep secrets either."

She took her bow off, exposing a pair of cat ears. Ruby's eyes sparkled as she slowly reached out to pet them. Jaune stopped her.

"I am a faunus, and I used to be a member of the White Fang. I left when I realised that they didn't care about whether innocent people got hurt or not. I want to become a Huntress and stop them from hirting anyone anymore." she declared. Her legs shook and she was definitely clenching her muscles to keep from running.

Yang was the first to react. "Why would you need to keep that a secret? It's not a big deal." she said.

Jaune nodded his agreement, and finally stopped trying to stop Ruby. The younger girl leaned as far out of the bed as she could, straining to reach Blake's ears, but collapsed, falling out of the bed and onto the floor.

She bounced up easily and gently touched Blake's cat ears. "Aww. Cute." she said, squealing.

"Might have kept that a secret from Ruby though." Yang remarked as Blake tried to lean away from the persistent girl's touch.

Yang sighed. "I want to become a huntress to find my mom. She left me and dad, and I want to know why. I also want to protect Ruby. She's so important to me, and she always wanted to be a huntress. I don't want to be waiting for her to come back from a mission, if I can be there with her."

"Yang." Ruby whispered. She looked around and caught Jaune's eyes.

Her eyes screamed at him for advice, so he pointed at Yang and mimicked a hug.

Ruby and Yang embraced, and the team felt closer.

Line Break

Meanwhile, Team Lavender was getting alomg just as well as their name made sense. Which is to say, Ren was struggling with the idea of being a Team Leader, Nora was supportive, but too bubbly to help, Pyrrha was respective and polite, and Weiss Schnee was trying to usurp his position.

Finally, Nora thought of the most brilliant tactic to restore order ever.

She smashed Weiss with a bed, and threatened Pyrrha, who hastily assired them of her cooperation.

"Try not to injure our teammates, Nora." Ren sighed.

Nora beamed at him in a way that told him that she held not a shred of guilt.

Ren had trouble finding some himself.

Line Break

The next morning, team Raspberry was awakened by the persistent sound of Jaune's scroll. He had set an alarm, and his new teammates felt irritance at his good thinking.

The team soon roused, and took their turns showering and changing for the day.

Beacon, Jaune was sorry to note, had a uniform and dress code, and his hoodie and jeans wouldn't be acceptable wear. He grimaced at Ruby, who was settling her cape into the uniform.

"Of course her favorite clothes are fine." he grumbled.

Despite this, the foursome made it out of their room just in time to see the door across from them bulge, before smashing open.

Team Lavender collapsed on the ground as team Raspberry watched.

"Morning." Jaune greeted casually.

"Hello again." Pyrrha waved.

Jaune frowned as Team RABY walked away from the other team.

"Do you think Ozpin is a pervert?" he asked.

Line Break

"It jiust seems suspicious to me. CRDL got 4 dudes, and we never even saw them in the forest, but me and Ren are the only two guys among these teams. Ours were the only relics left. I don't think we could have been the slowest ones out there."

"That's ridiculous. Let's ask Professor Port." Yang declared.

They stepped into the classroom, and Jaune immediately called out. "Hey Professor P, do you think Ozpin is a pervert?" he asked.

The class was silent as they watched the older man chortle for a solid minute. "Of course not, Mr. Arc!" he cried.

"Ah HA! Told you!" Yang yelled.

"He's simply certifiably insane!" the man continued. "Did you know it's against several laws for men and women to become enrolled here before 17? Not to mention that Miss Rose here was also held illegally in a police station so that they could meet."

Yang was gaping now, and most of the class, too, was enthralled and mildly horrified.

"Then there's the school itself. I don't know if Ozpin even knows what taxes are, nevermind how to pay them. I'm fairly sure that most of the dust and equipment we offer is stolen, and we usually make our students do any repairs. You're lucky if your electricity in your rooms works, because the odds are one in three."

"At least he isn't a pervert, right Yang?" Jaune asked with a truly radiant smile.

It made her scowl all the sweeter to him.

Line Break

The day progressed decently as they attended class. Jaune and Ruby were slacking horribly, as was Yang, while Blake read a book that Jaune was sure wasn't class related. All of that changed when they made it to one of the most essential classes in Beacon.

Combat with Glynda Goodwitch.

The other classes, theory and strategy, with history and a study of Grimm, it all meant little without the combat class. Hunters and Huntresses rarely needed strategy, and as such, didn't need classwork as much as actual combat.

The first years were tested together. Pairings were decided by Goodwitch, and were meant to evaluate your skill andpower, and match you with either a close competitor, or a natural weakness of the strategy.

It was the class that Jaune felt himself likely to hate the most.

His idea was immediately proven true when he was selected for the first match.

He sighed, but entered the arena.

His opponent was Cardin Winchester, a heavy mace user.

They readied off and Jaune shoved hs hands in his pockets. Cardin took his mace in two hands and tried to trash talk him.

Professor Goodwitch started the match.

Neither of them moved. Cardin continued to trash talk him until Jaune sighed in annoyance.

"You wanna flip a coin?" he asked.

Cardin raised an eyebrow. "Are you trying to get out of fighting? Coward. Face me like a man."

"A coin flip is faster." Jaune grunted.

Cardin stood straighter, lowering his mace from a ready position. "Are you serious?" he asked incredulously.

"Heads or Tails?"

"Tails."

Jaune flipped the coin. "Tails. You win." he said, and then walked away.


	2. chapter 2

A pained squeal echoed. Jaune turned his head to see Cardin Winchester tugging on a Rabbit Faunus' ears.

"Ugh. I ha-" Jaune stood quickly, pushing the table and subsequently, his teammates, away from him. He stormed over to the bully, scowling.

He grabbed the teen's wrist and clenched, twisting it outwards and making Cardin release the Faunus.

Cardin opened his mouth to yell and brought his hand around to attack, but Jaune released his wrist and grabbed his breastplate, pulling him in.

"If I ever see something as pathetic as what you just did, I'll kill you myself." he whispered and stepped away.

One of Cardin's teammates made to step forward and confront him, but Cardin reached his hand out and stopped him. The boy turned to see Cardin shivering as he looked where Jaune had grabbed his armor.

It was perfectly indented in the shape of his hand.

"We don't touch him." he whispered.

"We can't."

Line Break

His teammates seemed to have developed a new opinion of him, and Jaune didn't blame them. Kinda hard to feel good about a friend who was almost failing every class and looked like a coward in combat, who proved to the entire lunch room that he could crumple titanium with his bare hands.

Ruby seemed enraptured though. She had been protective of him before, now she was outright possessive. Poor Pyrrha was too intimidated to even talk to him anymore.

Come to think of it, Yang and Blake seemed to be more affectionate as well. They both smiled at him more often, and they smiled whenever they met his eyes. What's more, they smirked whenever he tried to get out of combat class. Goodwitch, though annoyed more and more, never explicitly banned him from trying to settle his matches without fighting.

Perhaps it was the dent still in Cardin's armor.

Today, he won his fight by challenging his opponent, Pyrrha Nikos herself, to a game of chess.

Goodwitch actually offered that his tactics had been good, and recommended Pyrrha to review chess techniques if she wanted to learn to beat him at that.

School continued as normal.

Until Blake heard a snippet from someone's scroll.

"Roman Torchwick and the White Fang?" she asked forcefully. "That can't be..." she whispered.

Ruby was quick to come to her aid. "Hey, we can check it out if you want?"

Blake smiled and nodded gratefully. "I can't imagine the White Fang working with someone like that."

Jaune brushed her hand. "The White Fang changed. We can check it out, but maybe their is just a reason they need to work together. They've been stealing a lot of dust. It can't just be the SDC, or they'd just ruin the mines."

Blake looked uncertain, but nodded. "I'd like to look."

The team nodded in agreement, and the group was soon headed for Vale.

Line Break

Blake was, if nothing else, an exceptional spy. She had discovered in less than an hour that there would be a raid on a duat warehouse in the docks that night.

"Any chance we can try this my way?" Jaune asked them.

Ruby immediately nodded without a question, and Yang smirked gleefully as she also agreed.

"Blake? I want a full agreement, or you can handle it how you like." he said.

Blake sighed and relaxed her muscles. "Fine. I agree."

Jaune smiled, showing off way too many teeth.

The three of them hid while Jaune arranged his set.

A half hour after they arrived, three Bullheads arrived and started moving Dust as Roman Torchwick examined the scene, supervising the Faunus.

He turned to look for authorities only to find a teen sitting in the shade of a storage container.

He scowled and twirled his cane, aiming at the teen.

The boy didn't even twitch.

Roman walked up to the boy, noticing his blond hair and blue eyes, and jabbed him with his cane.

It disappeared.

Roman's hand twitched at the loss, his mind not immediately realising what happened. He growled and went to kick the blond, and found himself face to face with the suddenly fierce looking boy.

"Roman Torchwick. I have a deal for you." Jaune said.

"Why should I bother with a deal with you?" Roman asked with a smirk.

"Because I can blow this dock sky high, and I have your weapon." Jaune replied. "But who needs to be nasty."

Torchwick nodded, though his smirk remained smugly in place.

"A little game if you will." Jaune said. "Just a game of chance. I'll flip a coin, and you call out your side. If it's face up, you win. I'll return yoiur weapon, give you the charge, and leave. If I win, I give you your cane, you give me something you value, and leave."

"Not going to play for my arrest?" Torchwick asked.

"Hah. Like I care. You're just a thief."

Jaune narrowed his eyes and leaned forward. " _Right?_ "

Torchwick felt his neck sweat, and nodded. "Yea, just a thief. I only attack people to get away."

Jaune leaned back again with an easy smile.

Torchwick felt his hope of cheating flutter away.

"Ready?" Jaune asked. He pulled out a coin and offered it to Roman, who examined it for a second.

Jaune flipped the coin in the air. He quirked a brow.

"Heads." Torchwick said.

The coin flickered down, smashing into Jaune's arm as he smacked it to a stop.

"Tails." he declared.

Torchwick scowled, but for a thief and a thug, he had some honor. "Fine." he said.

"Get going, we need to split!" he yelled. The faunus jerked and scattered, taking their last loads and rushing away.

Jaune pulled out Roman's cane and leaned against it. "And something you value?"

Torchwick frowned in thought for a moment. "I only value my partner." he finally said.

Jaune sighed and opened his mouth but Torchwick cut him off.

"Neo!"

An incredibly short girl with pink and brown hair appeared. Her eyes were the same, but as she blinked, they switched sides. She was wearing fancy clothes and high heeled boots, and carried a parasol.

"I gambled you away to this guy. My bad."

He didn't sound very repentant.

"Anyway, have fun with him and all that jazz." Roman declared, swiping his cane and strolling away.

Jaune was left standing next to... Neo.

"What have I gotten myself into?" he asked aloud.

Mismatched eyes blinked at him curiously.

Line Break

"You can go now." Jaune said to the small girl.

His teammates were all glaring at her.

"Please." he asked.

She shook her head and mimed a cat, nuzzling his arm sweetly.

Ruby snatched him away from her.

"Just go back to Torchwick." Jaune pleaded again.

Neo shook her head. She mimed shaking her hand and throwing dice.

"Yea but I was expecting a necklace or something. Not a person."

Neo shrugged unrepentantly.

"You can't sleep here." he demanded.

She gave him a morose look, full of sadness.

"W-well..." he stuttered, scratching his cheek. "Maybe we can do something about it."

Now his team was glaring at him, but Neo smiled like an innocent angel.

"You think we can get a cot or something?" he muttered thoughtfully. Ruby's ever present glare at the new intruder was entirely more malicious than he thought she was capable of.

"You're a criminal, right?" he asked.

Neo nodded happily.

"Are you into sadism?" he asked thoughtfully.

Her smile grew sharp and angry.

"Look, perfect. She'll bunk with Lavender."

His teammates seemed too amused to be upset at him anymore. Team Lavender, on the other hand...

While it is true that Nora was the biggest cause for concern, Weiss' reaction to Nora caused things to accelerate rapidly, and Neo was sure to be another instigator to those conflicts.

But Blake and Ruby hated Weiss, which meant Yang did too. Plus, he was just getting used to his team thinking he was amazing no matter what...

The choice was simple and easy.

They pinned a note on Neo's jacket and sent her on her way... right across the hall.

Ren opened the door and looked the girl dead in the eyes.

"If you're here to kill me, now is a good time." Ren said.

Neo shook her head and pointed at the note.

"Uh huh. That's Yang's handwriting. You are here to kill me in some way or another." Ren said with a sigh.

Line Break

"I'm just saying, everything looks like it's turning into a harem, and that isn't very reasonable." Jaune remarked.

"Jaune, you are the one who suggested Neo went to Lavender anyway." Blake pointed out.

"Yeah, but that's because I know you guys were being twitchy and weird. Especially when I offered my bed for her."

"She pulled you in with her." Ruby growled.

"She's probably used to a stuffed animal! She acts just like one of my sisters. She never lets me leave her bed either if she can't find her bear."

Ruby had a scheming look in her eyes that didn't bode well for her partner.

Line Break

"Time for bed." Jaune yawned.

"Jaune?" Ruby's voice called. Yang and Blake turned to look at Ruby, because she sounded so pitiful.

Red ringed eyes blinked balefully at Jaune Arc before a sniffle broke the silence.

The team didn't have time to react before Jaune Arc was in bed, embracing Ruby Rose tightly and trying to comfort her.

It would have been sweet if not for the victorious smirk on Ruby's 'innocent' face.

Yang whispered a prayer for her new brother in-law, even if he didn't know it yet.

Blake shrank into the corner and tried to ignore the duo.

Line Break

Team Lavender across the hall was in chaos.

There were pieces of uniforms and textbooks scattered on the floor, black stains around Nora's bed, and what could only be a Beowulf arm keaning in the corner of the room.

Lie Ren finally snapped.

"Shut the fuck up and sit down!" he bellowed.

3 people froze, and scattered to sit on beds.

"Weiss. You will respect my authority under the pain of death, or so help me god. Nora, you won't antagonise Weiss any longer, and Neo!"

The newest bunkmate blinked at him.

"Either never bother anyone again, or go back across the hall."

The girl smirked and left the room.

"We are cleaning, and then sleeping. Set an alarm." Ren ordered.

Nora hugged him tightly as he finished speaking. "I knew you could do it, Renny." she told him quietly.

"Thank you, Nora." he whispered.

Line Break

Jaune woke up to a rather interesting feeling. In front of him was Riby Rose, his leader and one of his closest friends. She was asleep, and holding his arm against her waist.

Behind him, he turned to see, was Neo. She was wrapped around him tightly.

"This'll be a pain. Good night." he whispered, falling back asleep.

His prediction came true just a small while later when he woke up again. Neo and Ruby were scowling at each other, with only Jaune in the way to stop them from anything.

They both looked as if they wanted to reach for weapons that were, thankfully, not present.

Blake and Yang watched from across the room. Jaune was sure he caught a whiff of popcorn.

"No." he ordered.

The two petite girls turned to look at him, and he shook his head.

"Figure it out, and do it without violence." he ordered again. With that, he turned back over and fell asleep.

Line Break

"Maybe I should have set the conditions..." he groaned.

He had woken up and gotten ready before Ruby described the circumstances that they had agreed on.

"I get to keep you Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, and she gets the other three."

"I'm not a dog. Or a stuffed toy. Don't I get to pick where I sleep?" he asked.

"No."

Jaune sighed. "Why did I expect anything else?" He perked his head. "I have an idea."

He ditched his team and sprinted through the halls until he found an elevator, which he took to the Headmaster's office.

"Ozpin!" Jaune shouted.

"Mr. Arc." the man replied calmly.

"My transcripts are fake and I'm failing all my classes. Kick me out, please." Jaune pleaded.

"No." Ozpin replied, his voice still exactly as calm as before.

"W-why not?" Jaune asked, hopeless tears threatening to buikd behind his eyes.

"In less than a month you have eradicated racial bullying, introduced the idea that not all conflicts deserve a battle, and halted a major Dust theft from the SDC. You even... let's say rehabilitated, a criminal entity of high skill."

"But..." Jaune cried.

"And when your father said fake transcripts, he really meant he told me the circumstances and asked me to take you."

Jaune felt his last chance of hope sinking. "But. I'm failing every class?" he asked with the last of his hope.

"Everything except for the combat class are irrelevant, and you have technically won most of your matches." Ozpin remarked, sipping coffee. "Even if we had thought you were somehow failing in Ms. Goodwitch's class, we have this."

Ozpin pulled a scroll from his pocket and revealed it to Jaune. It was Jaune slaughtering the Deathstalker in initiation.

"I think this," he waved the scroll before pocketing it again, "reveals quite a bit about your actual combat ability."

Jaune sank into one of the Headmaster's chairs in disbelief, as Ozpin drank from his mug again.

Line Break

Jaune went back to his teammates. Students who saw him on his way thought he looked like a man headed to his death.

It wasn't far off.

Ruby saw him first, and cheerfully pulled him next to her as they ate breakfast.

Jaune shrugged and spoke. "Apparently Ozpin knows about Neo, so I'm guessing there isn't any point in hiding her."

A sound like breaking glass echoed through the cafeteria, and Neo was sitting on his other side, eating breakfast as though she had been there for ages.

"Mkay. That's fine. I'll just... yea..." Jaune murmured. He pushed his breakfast out of the way and laid his head down for a nice nap.


	3. chapter 3

It took a few weeks but the team finally settled, and Jaune accepted his fate. Blake and Yang looked increasingly amused every time he saw them. Team Lavender had settled a lot. Ren had adopted an almost military demeanor, Nora was eccentric, though she acted like Ren's personal muscle and bodyguard. Pyrrha had always been accepting of Ren's commands, and she merely seemed happier without the constant fighting.

Weiss had changed the most. She was less barbed, and seemed more like she was having fun when she argued with Nora. Her smile was softer, and she seemed to lose a lot of stress that she normally had held.

Jaune thought it was funny that Ren's team had improved while his had declined. Ruby, as team leader, was focused more on him than her role as such, and Yang and Blake acted like a splinter group. Onlookers to the drama of Ruby and Neo fighting over him.

He felt Ren's initial pain, and snapped himself.

"Alright. That's it. I'm done." he said forcefully.

Ruby and Neo, who had been wrestling on the floor, stopped to look at him. Blake and Yang turned to eye him as well, interrupting their discussion.

"I'm taking over now. I'm tired of this. Nothing is getting done." he said. "Ruby, I'm sorry, but I'm going to take over as team leader."

Ruby turned her head on its side like a dog, before smiling and nodding. "You will do well, Jaune." she cheered

"Ruby, Neo. This can't happen the way it has been. Sleep in your own beds." he ordered.

They pouted, but Jaune dragged a bed in and put it in the middle of the room.

"I'll sleep here." he said. "Tomorrow, we are going to go over the work we should be doing, and practicing tactics. From now on, we won't be team Raspberry. We will be Journey."

The four girls nodded, and he smiled happily at them.

"Ruby, you will still be second in command. I want you to be in charge whenever I can't be. Blake, you are in charge of research and stealth. Yang, demolition and close combat. Ruby, you are also in charge of Weapons and tactics. Neo, you have deception and defensive maneuvers."

They nodded again. "What about you, Jaune?" Ruby asked.

"Negotiations and Combat tactics." he said. "Ruby, you will design tactical pairings and teamwork oriented moves, and it'll be my job to decide when they are worth using and call them out in a fight."

"Let's get some rest."

Line Break

The next day was full of cramming. Blake and Jaune worked on their schoolwork, organizing it and planning the material they'd need to review with the others. Meanwhile, Ruby sat with Yang and Neo and thought of names for different combinations of team members for them to fight as.

An example was Ladybug, to signify Ruby and Blake working together. Exact attacks were based on the battle, so they didn't specify what exactlky they would do. Jaune would most likely describe it if necessary while they were fighting.

It was a long day, and they worked hard. Jaune seemed to resent the position of leader slightly, but he excelled at it. They reviewed their class work and Jaune begrudgingly promised to fight in combat class.

Team Journey changed that day.

Line Break

It was the very next day that everyone noticed the minute differences. In Professor Port's class, the team of 5 took turns copying down notes as he droned, one team member always recording the important information.

In Oobleck's, they did much the same, though the 5 of them all tried to take notes simultaneously, catching what words they could to paper and comparing them for accuracy.

It was Goodwitch's class that marked the largest change.

"Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos." Goodwitch called.

Jaune and Pyrrha walked down the stairs as always, but the change was marked when Goodwitch called for the match to start.

Everyone watched, waiting for Jaune to ask for a game of chance, or pull out cards or even a chess board.

Instead, the blond unsheathed his sword and expanded his shield.

Pyrrha hesitated before doing the same. She controlled her shock and transformed her weapon into it's sword variant.

The crowd was silent as they watched the 'Invincible Girl' and a boy who most took for a slacker square off.

Jaune leapt forward first, the strength of his muscles launching him along the ground without having to continue to sprint.

Pyrrha raised her shield and side stepped, hoping to deflect the blond. Instead, Jaune scraped his sword on the ground, turning his momentum slightly to the side, kicking at Pyrrha with an ordinary sneaker.

She turned her shield to block it completely, and staggered back.

Jaune kicked off the shield and flipped backwards, before surging forward again, this time mashing his shield forward.

Pyrrha made to deflect his shield to the side, and Jaune jabbed forward with his sword, taking advantage of the opening she made and grazing his sword on her ribs.

She hissed in pain and flipped backward, out of his reach.

This was an opponent she couldn't underestimate, and she tapped into her semblance.

They collided again, furious blows being turned aside as they gouged concrete and pushed their opponents away. They always caught themselves, and returned the favor.

Pyrrha switched occassionally from sword to spear, and once even to rifle, but Jaune's defence stood strong. He blocked everything that came his way, and Pyrrha did the same.

Jaune finally spied an opening, no doubt due to his opponents' exhaustion, and deftly caught her sword, flicking his wrist to launch it away. She now had just her shield.

She quickly retaliated and swung her shield into his, knocking it out of the fight as well.

Jaune took a strong swing into her shield, and she twisted it and ripped away his sword. Jaune, in return, firmly grabbed her shield and wrenched it from her grip.

They were both completely disarmed.

Pyrrha hesitated, before grinning widely. Her sword and shield scattered through the arena, landing in her hands as she rearmed herself.

A string of gasps echoed through the room, but Jaune and Pyrrha were intent only on each other.

Jaune smiled disarmingly, and slid forward, punching her sword away and dodging her shield. She screwed her eyes in anticipation, and flinched when he...

tapped her forehead?

"Match." Goodwitch called.

"What?" she breathed.

"Ms. Nikos' aura is in the red, Jaune Arc wins."

Pyrrha looked down at her scroll, and sure enough it was just in the red. Looking up at the display screen, Jaune's aura was just below green, in the yellow.

"I... lost?" she asked under her ragged breathes.

"Good match Pyrrha." Jaune said, offering his hand.

She took it automatically. "I lost?" she asked again.

He frowned. "There's always next time." he said before letting her hand go.

Pyrrha watched him walk away. He wasn't even breathing hard, she realised.

His team greeted him with cheers and smiles, and she saw Ruby hug him happily.

Pyrrha Nikos, the Invincible Girl... defeated.

She couldn't help but smile.

Line Break

His team's opinion had changed again. Now he was heralded in the halls as a God, and his teammates seemed intent to protect him from outside influence. The only other people he saw with any regularity was team Lavender, and they were facing the same kind of questions as his teammates.

"How did he get so strong?" he heard a few times.

"Where did he learn to fight?" was another one.

"Why didn't he do that in the first place?" was heard.

It led to him ignoring people outside of his team, save Lavender, and they were reacting much the same way. That is, Ren and Nora were always ignoring strangers.

Weiss seemed to be trying to find out the answers herself, and he heard her bemoan that she hadn't partnered with him in initiation, which only made him happier he had picked Ruby.

Pyrrha though. She had came up to him at dinner the next day and brushed his hand gently. "I can't wait for a rematch." she said softly, winking as she walked away.

"D...Does she have a crush on me?" he asked incredulously.

His team stared at him in open awe. "You can tell?" Yang blurted.

Jaune scoffed. "Well of course. It was in her body language. Anyone could have seen it." he remarked.

"Then why haven't you noticed that-" Yang was cut off by Blake, who slammed her hand over Yang's mouth before she could continue.

"Sorry, she is having delusions." Blake remarked.

Yang glared at Blake, and Blake immediately retracted her hand with an exclamation of disgust.

"Don't lick me!" she yelled.

Yang stuck her tongue out, but didn't try to continue her previous sentence.


	4. chapter 4

"Life carries on." Jaune murmured. He was laying on his back, relaxing on the front lawn of Beacon. Though it had just been a few scant months since he was shanghaied into Combat school, he already felt like he would have trouble leaving.

As he lounged in the grass, he reflected on the people that he found to be close.

First was his partner, Ruby. She was an energetic one, but also kind and understanding. She was awkward with social interaction, but she learned body language to the extent that she seemed to always know what she needed to say or do to help her friends. Jaune couldn't imagine that he would ever forget her, or that they wouldn't see each other often, even if he didn't become a hunter. She would definitely try to keep in touch no matter what.

Then there was her sister, Yang. She was also full of energy, but it was as wild and unmanageable as her semblance. Yang would visit him too, but it would undoubtedly be for a party and a brawl. Yang was fiercely protective, and would guard everyone she cared about as ferociously as the dragon in her name. He was honored to be considered a part of that.

Blake was quiet, and serious. She wanted to be a huntsmen because there was so much hate in the world, and she couldn't abide by it. She wouldn't be the type to stick close, but he was sure that she would always be up for a small get together, or some messaging on scrolls. She would be quiet, and she doesn't talk much, but they were still true friends.

Neo was someone who he couldn't understand totally, but she seemed to care for him for some reason, and refused to go back to her previous life no matter what he tried to say. She was ridiculously reliable, in that Jaune felt almost positive that she followed him everywhere, just hidden under her illusions. It was a little strange, but he couldn't help but feel happy that someone was so resolutely by him.

Ren and Nora were a pair at odds, but they were close to each other without excluding the idea of new friends. Ren was someone who seemed to be in a similar situation as him, reluctant and begrudging, but he tried to make it work. Nora did her very best to try to keep smiles on everyone's face.

Pyrrha was a lonely soul, and he felt guilty for rejecting her in initiation. She was powerful and skilled, but friends were hard for someone at the top. He was glad that she ended up with Ren and Nora, because they would be thick friends, despite their bonds of the past. Pyrrha seemed to get happier as the days pass, her team combining and growing, and her circle of friends including his own team as well.

Weiss was strange. Where Pyrrha tried to seek out friends, Weiss seemed hellbound to repel them. He could see that she was lonely. Sometimes she looked so lost when she thought no one was around. Despite her reputation as 'Ice Queen', her team finally managed to crack her mask and bring her in. She smiled now, unlike when she first arrived. Though his team had gotten off on the wrong foot, no one specifically excluded her anymore, and she seemed content. Even her relationship with Pyrrha, her partner, was closer.

Jaune continued to think about his new friends for a while before realisation hit him like lightning.

Ruby, Yang, Blake, Neo, Weiss, Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora. They were all training to be Hunters and Huntresses. They had their motives, but they wanted to do good and help people.

And suffering was sure to be their teacher.

He gritted his fist and punched the ground next to him.

He thought he could live his life pretending that everything could be solved without violence, that the Grimm were the only reason people needed to fight. There were always people who had motives that wouldn't take nonviolence for an answer. His father was the perfect example.

How many times had he pleaded with his dad not to make him fight? All in vain.

He sighed and layed back down, looking up into the sky. "Guess you were right after all, dad." he whispered.


	5. chapter 5

Ruby was elated. Jaune Arc, her new team leader and partner was so kind, and he paid attention to her, and spent time with her, and smiled when he saw her and...

She took a deep breath.

Ruby really liked Jaune. She could tell when she met him and he helped her stand up that he was a great person. He helped strangers because he thought it was the right thing to do, and he was never mean. He was so nice that he didn't even like the idea of fighting other people. She heard him say it a lot before, that he only wanted to fight the Grimm.

Jaune didn't want to be a hunter. He had told her the day she met him, and then again when they were put together on a team. Even so, he stepped up and took over as a leader, just so that he could help everyone. Ruby was a little ashamed to admit that she hadn't cared about her studies at all before he made them learn it, and she knew Yang and Blake had been the same.

Jaune hadn't cared at all. He had even completely ignored the teachers, refusing to even pretend to work.

That's what made it even more special that he stepped up. He started working and fighting, to show the correct example. Ruby couldn't help but try and copy him.

It didn't really surprise her when she thought about it, and realised that she was hopelessly infatuated with Jaune. He was everything she admired in a hunter, and a friend.

Ruby hoped she could stay with him forever.


	6. chapter 6

Yang and Blake had the exact same opinion of the new team leader, Jaune Arc.

He was hilariously entertaining.

While Blake preferred books and quiet, and Yang liked fighting and causing trouble herself, Jaune Arc's life was like a soap opera.

Despite one of the subjects being her little sister, Yang couldn't help but find the everyday life of Jaune and his clingy sidekicks to be hugely entertaining. She knew Jaune was a good guy, and he wouldn't do anything to hurt Ruby, so she brushed off her slight concerns and enjoyed the show.

Blake thought it was funny, and couldn't help but think that it would only get more entertaining the longer Ruby, Neo, and maybe Pyrrha fought over him without Jaune realizing their feelings. Yang was awful at keeping quiet, which is why she had covered for her the second she almost spilled that Ruby and Neo had feelings for Jaune.

Every day, they could just sit in their bed and watch as Ruby and Neo had another grudge match over a blond as dense as his hair color would suggest.

The utter bewilderment on his face whenever Ruby would once again convince him to sleep in her bed through a sniffle and some waterworks as Neo glared at Ruby and attempted the same was rapture.

Though Yang and Blake had both hated having Neo join their team at first, they had changed their mind the second she started showing interest in Jaune. Ruby had puffed up like a house cat and tried to defend 'her claim', and Jaune had remained unknowing.

Jaune had took over as leader, which was mostly necessary because Ruby was too interested in him to try to take charge.

All this, and school had barely started.


	7. chapter 7

Neo smirked as she watched Jaune lay in the grass.

Jaune was an interesting man. Neo had come to Roman Torchwick in the same way that she had come to Jaune. Roman originally liked to gamble againat people. Eventually he had become an affluent criminal, who still had a habit of gambling, though now the stakes were higher, and the odds were stacked.

Eventually Roman had encountered a man who had decided to gamble. The stakes were for the most valuable thing they owned.

The man lost, and Roman had gained Neo.

As a side effect, Roman stopped gambling. Neo had been vicious, violent and annoying. It was something she found amusing, and it had driven Torchwick crazy.

Then Jaune thought he could gamble as well, and Roman had leapt for the opportunity. Neo was out of his hair, and he had finally lost a game.

Neo sensed something different about Jaune though. The myriad of people who had 'won' her before had all been greedy and selfish, while Jaune had simply preferred gambling to a fight.

He had been kind as well. He got her a bed and treated her well, and didn't ask for her to do anything for or... _to_ him.

Naturally, she had been happy, and tried to show her gratitude but his teammate seemed like she had realized his good character as well, and tried taking over.

Despite her strange life, Neo knew her own value, and realised one major problem with herself.

All of the traits that someone may find attractive in her, were mostly in Ruby as well.

Petite, pale, strange hair, strange eyes, combat capable, flexible. So many similarities.

So Neo fought back. Everything Ruby got, Neo tried for as well. Before she knew it, the only one who didn't like her was her new rival.

She had given Jaune a big hug for that, even if it was only indirectly because of him.

Now here she was, watching him. He was an amazing person, and she couldn't help but want to be by his side.


	8. chapter 8

Jaune sighed and stood up.

"No time to waste." he mutttered.

A sound like breaking glass gave him little warning to the girl who was now embracing him tightly.

"Hey Neo." he greeted. "How are you doing today?" he asked.

She gave him a joyful smile and stuck her face in his side. He placed his hand on her back and held her against him.

They stood there for a moment as the wind rustled his hair.

"I need to protect this." he whispered.

Neo looked back up at him with a questioning expression.

"Let's get back to the room." he said.

She nodded and they walked back into Beacon.

Line Break

"I've decided I want to train you all." Jaune announced as they entered.

"You want to train us?" Blake asked. "How would that help?"

"Jaune knows a lot about weapons, and he's super strong!" Ruby answered defensively.

"I've used a katana and a kusarigama, so I would have some inclination on how to use your weapon, though you would need more help with strength and stamina than actual weapon use." Jaune explained.

"What about me?" Yang asked challengingly.

"Mindset. You are too focused on power. You should work a little on where to apply it."

Yang frowned. "That's what dad says." she grumbled.

"On the other hand, Ruby, you need to get better with your semblance and fighting without your weapon."

Ruby clutched Crescent Rose possessively, turning as if to shield it with her body.

"And I need to discover my semblance." he said with a sigh.

"How are you gonna do that?" Ruby asked innocently.

Jaune smirked. "1 vs. 4."

Line Break

Jaune stood across from his team. They were outside, in a plain clearing a small ways from the school building. They were all armed and equipped in their combat clothing.

Jaune eyed his team warily. Neo was undoubtedly the most dangerous. Her illusions could have him distracted beyond reasonable doubt, so he chose the safest route.

He closed his eyes and listened to only the trees and the wind. The telltale sounds of glass shattering whenever Neo used her semblance meant that she may be able to use sound too, so he ignored his hearing.

It was just smell that he focused on. Ruby smelled of Rose petals and weapon oil. Yang of citrus and gunpowder. Blake of paper and lavender. Neo of ice cream and leather.

In a flash, it started. Ruby launched forward in a flurry of rose petals, and Jaune neatly side stepped, using his shield to catcher her and swing her back into her teammates.

Ruby tumbled as she reformed, landing in a heap next to Blake. Yang nodded to her partner, and the two of them entered the fray. Blake released partof her weapon, giving it to Yang as she launched around Jaune, the ribbon of Gambol Shroud attempting to wrap him up.

He jumped over it before charging Blake, ducking into a slide under her eager swipe and mashing his shield into her torso. She clutched her weapon tightly and swung it down on him, even as she felt her breath leave her from his strike.

Jaune grunted quietly from her hit, but easily shrugged it off and backed away. Yang swung at him, but he dodged as he felt the wind pass. Yang yelled and went for another punch, but Jaune slammed his arm wide, deflecting her punch with a vicious shield bash.

He reached into her guard with his own punch, knocking her back.

By this time, Ruby had recovered, and the three started to work together. Ruby and Blake ran around Jaune, shooting and occassionally swiping at him with their weapons as Yang kept the offensive up with her melee. Jaune blocked often, and retaliated when he felt it safe, but rounds made their way through his guard, and his aura slowly whittled down.

Neo stayed in the distance, occassionally using an illusion to distract him. Small sounds, like footsteps or the rush of air made him react automatically, leaving him open for another strike.

An errant punch from Yang was thrown wide, and he dropped his shield and caught her fist. He struck her in the solar plexus three times in rapid succession, and threw her bodily towards the sound of Ruby's sniper going off.

He rolled and sprinted for Neo, attacking with his bare fists as she dodged or blocked with her parasol. He kicked her weapon out of the way, and landed a solid punch in her abdomen, making her breath out in pain.

Jaune gritted his teeth and wiped away his worry as he attacked again, knocking her away.

Knowing Neo was distracted and out of breath, and having knocked a large portion of her aura down, he opened his eyes to look at his opponents.

Yang and Ruby were standing up, proving that he had indeed managed to make them collide, and Blake was reloading her weapon quickly.

He sprinted for her, pumping aura in his musckes so that he almost glided towards her. Jaune planted his feet and unleashed an uppercut that knocked her back, but he was frozen solid.

It was a clone loaded with Ice dust.

Jaune grunted and strained his muscles, ominous cracking emitting from the ice. He managed to free a hand, which he used to strike his other arm harshly, shattering the ice.

"He never stops." Blake whispered in horror. She had seen grown men struggle for upwards of twenty minutes to escape her ice.

Two punishing blows shattered the ice on his legs, and he shook off the remnants of the ice.

He was free.

Yang charged in, hoping to catch him off guard, but he ducked and threw her over his back, launching her further. He dashed to Ruby and Blake.

Blake unsheathed her katana and held the sheathe, trying to batter him with repeated strikes. Jaune jabbed two fingers into her wrist, forcing her to drop the blade. He released a devastating roundhouse kick, knocking her to the side.

Ruby stood with her scythe out, gripping the handle tightly. There was no one left. Neo was still dazed, Yang was having trouble lifting herself from the ground, and Blake was holding her ribs.

But Jaune was breathing heavily. He was tired, and Ruby was still mostly fresh.

She braced herself and fired her sniper away from Jaune, launching herself forward.

Line Break

Team Journey lay in a circle in the clearing. When they had got there, it was simply a spot without bushes or trees, and a small bare spot where grass didn't grow.

Now there were several gouges in the ground. Upturned dirt, spent shell casings, and indents in the shape of feet or fists were marring the earth.

Deep breathing was the only sound to be heard from the five of them.

"Good practice?" Jaune said, still gasping for breathe.

A groan and a few glares were his response.

"What's that? You want to go again right now?" he asked mockingly.

Yang slugged his arm weakly to answer.

"You're a monster." Blake repeated her earlier sentiment.

"That's not very nice." he replied.

"How can you still be joking around?" she asked. "Especially after Ruby."

Jaune shrugged. "It's more fun this way?" he answered half heartedly.

"All of that and you still didn't have any hint towards your semblance?" Ruby asked.

Jaune shook his head. "Not that I could tell."

"What does a monster need a semblance for anyway?" Blake asked dramatically.

Weak laughter echoed in the clearing.

There was a few minutes of silence.

"I'm sorry I was so rough on you all." Jaune said stiffly.

"It's alright, Jaune. You just want us to get stronger." Blake said.

Jaune frowned. "I don't want someone who wants to hurt you guys to be able to." he said softly.

Neo rested her head on his thigh and gave him a reassuring smile.

"We understand Jaune." Ruby said. "You don't want us hurt, and a few injuries in a fight with you will mean less serious injuries in a real fight. Dad had some trouble with Yang for the same reason at first."

Jaune sighed.

"It doesn't mean you want to hurt us. It means that you would rather hurt us than let us be hurt worse."

Jaune nodded. "I suppose that's about right." he said softly.

Ruby smiled at him before copying Neo, resting her head on his other thigh.

Jaune let his hand brush through her hair for a moment before sighing again. This time, it was contented.


End file.
